


Late Night Feelings

by DodgerBear



Series: Sex Advice, Milkovich-style [6]
Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: Domestic Ian Gallagher/Mickey Milkovich, Fluff and Smut, M/M, Mickey bonds with Lip, Relationship Advice, cheesy family fun, cute uncle mickey
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-23
Updated: 2020-08-23
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:13:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,923
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26054017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DodgerBear/pseuds/DodgerBear
Summary: Lip is having some relationship issues with Tami, for a change, and a late night chat with Mickey over baby formula and turkey sandwiches brings some clarity.
Relationships: Ian Gallagher/Mickey Milkovich
Series: Sex Advice, Milkovich-style [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1833898
Comments: 56
Kudos: 423





	Late Night Feelings

**Author's Note:**

> i can't seem to leave this universe alone!
> 
> this one is heavy on the dialogue so sorry if that's not your thing.
> 
> let me know what you think, or if you have any ideas you'd like to see written.

Mickey spent Thanksgiving weekend exactly how he wanted to - stuffed full of turkey to the point he couldn’t move from the sofa. The fact that the sofa was in the Gallagher family home and not in his own apartment was only a mild inconvenience. 

“Uncle Mickey! Play with me.” Franny whined, prodding him in the stomach until he groaned. 

“Uncle Mickey needs a little rest, Princess.” He closed his eyes and hoped she would move on to another member of his extended family and let him nap in peace. He liked Debbie’s kid well enough. She was quiet, which was always unusual for a four year old, and was never any trouble when he was drafted in to babysit a couple of times a month. 

“Can I take a nap too?” She whispered right next to his ear. 

Mickey opened one eye and found her face next to his, biting down on her lip. She had wide, tired eyes. “You tired?”

“Mmhm.” She nodded and Mickey reached out to pluck her up from the ground, dropping her into the space between him and the back of the couch. 

“Play later?” She yawned and closed her eyes, resting her head on Mickey’s chest. 

He leaned his chin on the top of her ginger curls and inhaled the scent of strawberries she always seemed to have in her hair. “Sure.”

“Well aren’t they just the sweetest?” Lip elbowed Ian in the ribs when they got back from the store. Ian grinned brightly when he saw his husband and his niece entangled on the couch, fast asleep with their mouths open. He balanced the crate of beer on his left hip while he snapped a photo with his right hand. It was more common these days for Mickey to show his adorable side but it didn’t hurt to have evidence. 

“Leave them to sleep. Mick's worked his ass off this week, he deserves a rest.”

“Which is Ian-speak for ‘he’s gonna be up all night’...” Lip teased. He’d slept with more than his fair share of women over the years but had never known anyone with the insatiable sex drive Ian and Mickey had for each other. They were always sneaking away to some dark corner and returning with huge smiles on their flushed faces. It was kinda nice actually. 

“Something like that.”

Lip set the cheesecake on the counter and opened the fridge to rearrange the contents. “Still in that honeymoon phase, hm?”

Ian snorted quietly. “I’ve been in that phase on and off for the last ten years. It’s hard not to be like that around Mick.”

Lip screwed up his face a little. “I don’t see it.”

“Because you’re not into dudes. Tami does nothing for me either.”

“Yeah well Tami doesn’t do much for me these days either.” Lip muttered and Ian heard the change in meaning. 

“Not getting any, big brother?” Ian grinned wickedly. 

Lip flipped him off. “We have a baby. Wait until you have kids of your own and you find out what exhaustion actually means.”

“That’s still a way down the road for us yet.” Ian chuckled and shoved at his brother’s shoulder. “But I’ll be sure to give you a call when I need to cry about being tired.”

Lip gazed at his brother, with his flame hair and pink freckles that would look fucking adorable on a child, and smiled. “You’re really gonna have kids?”

“One day.” Ian confirmed with utter finality. 

“And Mickey’s on board?”

“Of course. Told me I could pick up a couple strays.”

Lip started to giggle and shook his head. “Well I never...”

Ian leaned into Lip’s side and sighed. “He’s never been who you think he is.”

“Starting to get that.” Lip grabbed Ian by the back of the neck so he could pull him down to eye level and pecked a kiss to Ian’s messy hair. “Come on. I wanna grab some shut eye before Fred comes over.”

“I still don’t get where he’s been all day. Why would Tami spend Thanksgiving with her family and you come here?”

Lip shrugged. “Just...reasons.”

Before Ian had a chance to push harder, Mickey appeared in the doorway with a sleepy Franny clinging to his neck. 

“Can we smell cheesecake?” He sniffed and made the young girl giggle into his neck. 

It wasn’t until much later, when the fireworks Carl brought had fizzled out and darkness had fallen across the land, that Mickey knew his advice clinic was getting a special holiday edition. Ian had crashed out on his old bed while reading Franny a story and Mickey, huffing good-naturedly, tucked them in and headed down to sleep on the lumpy sofa. 

“The things you do for love.” He muttered and punched a cushion into something that had half a chance of supporting his neck. It was strangely quiet in the house that held so many people. He closed his eyes and was just about to let sleep take him when a loud cry filled the silence. Mickey recognized it immediately as Freddie and, if he was not mistaken, it was a hungry cry. He waited for Lip to start moving around because there was no way anyone could sleep next to that volume of wailing. But Freddie continued to cry and Lip was nowhere to be found. Mickey begrudgingly got up and climbed the stairs to the bedroom Lip and Freddie occupied. It was Fiona’s old room and barely big enough to fit the baby’s travel crib in. Mickey looked at Lip sleeping flat on his back while the baby cried dramatically and wondered just how exhausted you had to be to miss that. Mickey scooped the baby up and bounced him on his hip. He had no experience with babies like this. Ian had mentioned a few times over the years that he wanted a family. A marriage wasn’t going to be enough for him. Mickey knew that and accepted that, and even got a little excited by the thought. But that didn’t mean he wasn’t utterly terrified of the whole idea. He loved Ian and would move mountains to make him happy. Fatherhood was a different ball game though, and one Mickey hadn’t ever learned the rules to. He forced it out of his mind as soon as it entered and returned his focus to the baby in his arms now. Lip continued to sleep the sleep of the dead so Mickey took Freddie downstairs to the kitchen. 

“So what does a little guy like you eat, huh? We got leftovers. Turkey sandwich sounds good right?” Mickey grinned down at the youngest Gallagher, who peered up at Mickey with intense curiosity. “How about I have the sandwich and you have this bottle of milk I just found?”

Freddie kicked his heels into Mickey’s hip and squealed. Mickey laughed and lifted him in the air. “You like that hmm? You like milk? Of course you have formula. Your mama wouldn’t have a chest like a teenaged boy if she was feeding you on the tit. Oh no she wouldn’t.”

Freddie was now openly giggling at his uncle, who managed to deftly juggle the child in one arm while he set up the stove to warm the milk with the other. 

“I’m gonna put you in your chair while I cook up a storm, okay buddy?”

Freddie allowed himself to be strapped in his chair and Mickey gave him some mashed potatoes from the fridge while he waited. Freddie was fascinated by the paste-like texture in his hands and scooped some to his mouth, giving Mickey a grin that showed off his tiny razor sharp teeth. Mickey checked the temperature of the milk a couple of times while he made his huge ass sandwich, biting into it and growling like an animal to make Freddie laugh even harder. 

“Okay, chunk. Let’s get you comfortable.” Mickey clapped his hands and lifted the laughing child out of the chair. 

A creak on the stairs ten minutes later alerted Mickey to the arrival of someone else. He wasn’t an expert or anything but his work in security over the years meant he could guess what somebody looked like by the sound of their footsteps. He knew it was either Lip or Carl but his money was on Lip since Carl had smoked enough weed to knock out a grizzly bear that night. 

“What’s going on?” 

Sure enough it was Lip - rubbing his eyes in a mix of tiredness and confusion - who stopped beside Mickey. They were the same age but looking at Lip now you would think he was about five years older. His face was drawn and haggard with bags under his eyes and lines around his mouth. His confusion was probably justified. Mickey wasn’t exactly top of the list of people you’d expect to see cradling a sleepy baby while feeding them from a bottle while shirtless in somebody else’s living room. 

“I thought since he was screaming the place down and you were in some kinda turkey-induced coma _somebody_ needed to get up with him.” 

“He was screaming?”

“Like a fuckin banshee.”

“Oh...”

“Don’t sweat it, man. I was still awake anyway. This couch is like one step up from the mattresses they use in Guantanamo.” Mickey snarked and Lip shot him a grin. 

“You’d know all about that, right?”

“I know more than you think.”

Lip perched on the arm of the chair. “Want me to take him?”

Mickey shook his head once, gazing down at the blond baby in his arms. His eyes were flickering open and then closed while he continued to feed. “I’m good. He’s almost done.”

“You warmed it up?”

“Yes.”

“And didn’t add anything to it...”

“Like what?”

“Vodka. To make him sleep.”

Mickey rolled his eyes. “No.”

“And you tested the temperature on your wrist before you gave it to him?”

“Yes! Jesus Christ, I know what I’m fucking doing.” Mickey snapped. “You don’t give me this shit when I babysit.”

Lip smiled softly. “That’s because Ian is always with you.”

Mickey’s brows raised his on his forehead. “Oh yeah? And you think he’s the only one who knows what he’s doing? Right.”

“Sorry...”

“It’s fine. But just so you know, the first time Ian tried to change Freddie’s diaper he ended up with two legs in the same hole. Fuck knows how but he did. I’m the master of those suckers.”

“Really?” Lip let out a chuckle. 

“Really. I mean, when we have kids who do you think is gonna be the Mommy in our situation? Ian is gonna be the next Johnny Cochran while I’m at home changing diapers and wondering how to get dried mashed potato out of their hair.”

Lip frowned at the odd specifics. “And that’s okay with you?”

Mickey released a breathy laugh. “I’m completely okay with that.”

They fell silent and listened to the smacking noises Freddie was making while he ate. Mickey smiled down at him. He really was pretty cute. 

“Looks like his mom.” Mickey noted when the silence became a little heavy. 

Lip slumped into the armchair and rubbed his eyes. “Yeah.”

“Where is the walking ball of resentment today?”

Mickey was busy smiling down at Freddie that he almost missed the flash of emotion on Lip’s face. 

“Noticed that about her?”

Mickey shrugged one shoulder. “Just seems like whenever she’s around she’s got one eye on the door. Like we’re not good enough for her.”

Lip started to laugh. Quiet but steady laughter that made Freddie’s eyes open again. “You’re right. She does think that.”

Mickey sighed. “That sucks.”

“Well yeah but she’s not exactly wrong. We _are_ trash.”

“Fuck that, man. We’re doing the best we can with what we got. If anything, we’re over-achievers.”

Lip leaned back in the chair and flexed his fingers. It was a weird tic that Mickey noticed a while back. Lip caught him looking and blushed. 

“I do that when I want a beer. Use muscle memory to feel the bottle in my hand. Reminds me I don’t want it.”

“That’s dark as fuck.”

“That’s my life.”

Mickey carefully moved Freddie into an upright position against his chest and rubbed his back gently, feeling the wind moving around in the baby’s tiny body. Freddie let out a gentle burp and sighed loudly, snuffling himself back to sleep. 

“You know Gallagher is spelled with two L’s...”

“Shut the fuck up.” Mickey was absolutely not discussing his shit tattoo with his shithead brother-in-law. 

Lip laughed easily. “You always were crazy about him.”

“So fucking what?” Mickey shot back. “All our shit was down to timing. It was never about how I felt about him.”

“Sure.” Lip agreed. “I get that. And I’m kinda envious. I’ve got a kid with a woman and I’m not sure a thousand lifetimes would be enough for us to get to the point you and Ian were at after a couple of years.”

Mickey felt the weighty punch of Lip’s words. He continued to stroke the back of the warm baby he was holding and exhaled quietly. “You wanna feel that way about her?”

“I wanna be a family.”

“Not the same fucking thing, man. Do you love her?”

Lip scowled at Mickey. “Relationship advice? Really?”

Mickey grinned. “It’s something of a calling, actually. Besides, am I not one half of the most stable and steady relationship you know?”

“Fuck.” Lip breathed. “That’s frightening.”

“And yet here we are. I’m happily married to the love of my damn life. Who the fuck knew life could be like that?”

Lip clenched his shaky fist while the silence filled the air once again. Mickey shifted Freddie to spread his weight out more comfortably and kissed the top of his head. That baby smell was fucking addictive. 

“How do you do it? How do you only see one person and know they are the one for you? How do and Ian keep that magic going all these years?”

Mickey shrugged slightly. “I dunno. It’s not like it was ever a conscious choice we made. I can’t speak for him but I guess for me it was a lot to do with him seeing me. Like, the real version of me. The person I wanted to be. He saw through my bullshit and waited for me to burst out the closet. I’ve never met anyone like him – before or since. He makes me laugh too. Didn’t have a lot of that growing up.”

Lip nodded along and licked his dry lips. “I love her. She’s the mother of my son. She’s beautiful and she’s funny and she’s strong as fuck. She knows her worth. I just don’t think she knows mine.”

It was more than he’d ever told anyone, including Ian, and Mickey knew how hard that must be for Lip. He waited to see if he had more to say but the silence grew thick again. 

“You’re a partnership. A team. That’s what family is. If you’re not getting that from her, you need to figure that shit out.”

“Yeah?”

“You love your kid. Stevie Wonder wouldn’t be able to miss that. And you respect his mom. We know enough about broken homes to know miserable parents sticking together isn’t always the right choice.”

“True.” Lip nodded. “But I’m not ready to walk away yet. I think we can make it work. Not everyone has the Shakespearean love story you and Ian do.”

Mickey giggled gently and held Freddie close. “You know how many people use that reference when they talk about us? I gotta read me some Shakespeare. Find out what the fuss is about.”

“Fight. Fuck. Kill family members. Fuck some more. Just in medieval times.” Lip summarized and Mickey giggled harder. 

“Yeah. That’s us. Just less fighting these days.”

“And way more fucking.” Lip added with a grin. 

“You could learn a thing or two.” Mickey said dryly. “Sure, it feels good but it also makes you feel closer to your partner. Sounds like that’s what could be lacking. There’s got to be more to it than just this little guy. Find your spark, y’know?”

“Maybe.”

Freddie let out a long, rattling fart and Mickey screwed up his face. Lip bit down on his fist to stop from laughing too loud. 

“The Gallagher genes are strong with this one.” Mickey noted with a shudder. 

Lip yawned and stretched his arms above his head. “I should take him up to bed.”

Mickey rose to his feet carefully and passed over the sleeping lump to Lip, stealing one last kiss on the crown of his head. 

“Thanks Mickey.”

“I warmed up some formula. Even that is within my capabilities.” 

“I didn’t just mean taking care of Fred.” Lip replied, chewing his bottom lip. “I can’t say I’ll ever understand what you and Ian are all about. But I’m fucking glad he’s got you.”

“Fucking glad I got him too.” Mickey nodded. 

“G’night.” Lip shuffled away and left Mickey alone with his sandwich, which had gone a little dry around the edges but he’d eaten a whole lot worse in his lifetime. 

Another creak on the stairs made Mickey look up, assuming it was Lip.

“Forgot something?”

Ian appeared, grinning broadly. Mickey sighed and fell back onto the couch.

“Alright, fuckhead, how much did you hear?”

Ian laughed musically and leapt over the back of the couch to land on Mickey. The older man gasped for air and wrestled his husband until he wasn’t resting on his diaphragm. 

“All of it. Every last word.”

“Thought so.”

Ian grabbed Mickey’s hand and shoved it under the waistband of his boxer shorts. Mickey’s eyes widened when he felt the velvety hot steel of Ian’s cock in his hand.

“Made you horny, hm?”

“You have no fucking idea. I gotta be inside you.”

Mickey barely had time to catch a breath before Ian was on him. They were both only wearing boxers so it took less than a second to get naked.

“Ian…” Mickey panted and sucked a red spot on Ian’s chest. “Fuck me.”

“I’m gonna.” His husband promised. “Mm…you taste like cranberry sauce.”

Mickey grunted his impatience and shoved at Ian until the ginger fell backwards and tumbled to the floor.

“Oof. What was that for?”

“Too slow. Gotta ride you.”

Ian’s eyes rolled back in his head when Mickey followed him onto the floor and immediately took Ian’s throbbing dick in his mouth. “Holy shit.”

Mickey’s eyes watered at the fast and furious technique he’d adopted but it was all worth it when Ian’s hands tightened in his hair. “Where do you keep the lube in this place?”

Ian looked stricken for a moment while he thought about it and Mickey growled at the hesitation.

“We’re gonna be using cranberry sauce in a minute if you don’t engage your fucking brain.”

Suddenly Ian was on his feet and darting to the small cubby hole under the stairs, returning a moment later with a tiny tube of something that could’ve been lube, superglue or cold sore cream.

“Are we ready to go now?” Mickey drawled while lewdly jerking his own cock. “Wanna blow my load before the four year old catches us and we gotta explain why we’re sitting around with our dicks out.”

Ian scowled and joined Mickey on the floor once again. “Do NOT mention Franny when we’re about to fuck.”

Mickey arched his brow. “You’re taking so long Freddie is gonna be four fuckin years old before I get a dick in my ass.”

Ian shut his husband up by unceremoniously shoving a finger in his ass. “That better for you, whiny ass?”

“My whiny ass thanks you for your service.”

Ian started to giggle happily and pulled Mickey into a deep kiss while he opened him up. Mickey made soft, breathy gasps as Ian brushed against his sweet spot with his fingers.

“You ready for me?”

Mickey nodded wildly and a moment later he was revelling in the sweet burn of Ian filling him up. It was a sensation that never got old and could never be replicated.

“You feel so good. Perfect.” Ian rolled over to let Mickey lead and the older man was ready to set the pace. He bounced up and down until his thighs burned and he was covered in sweat. Ian gazed up at him like he was some sort of messiah and it made Mickey’s insides blush.

“I love you.” Mickey blurted out. He was better these days at saying the words out loud but they still didn’t come as naturally as he would like them to. It was hard to unravel twenty years of toxic behaviors that had been drilled, and sometimes beaten, into him. But seeing Ian’s face every time he said the words made it worthwhile. The goofy smile and the crinkled eyes spoke directly to Mickey’s soul.

“God, I love you too.” Ian breathed. “And I’m gonna come so hurry the fuck up.”

Mickey laughed and leaned down so he could kiss Ian while simultaneously changing the angle so his prostate was jabbed on every roll of his hips. “Close.”

“Come on me. All over me.” Ian directed and Mickey stroked a hand over the pink, blotchy skin of Ian’s chest. “Now, Mick, fuck!”

Mickey didn’t need any further direction. His cock erupted in his hand and shot a healthy volume of come all over Ian’s chest, clinging to the red hairs on his sternum. Mickey dragged a fingertip through the viscous liquid and used it to trace a circle around Ian’s nipple. The extra stimulation combined with the mind-blowing vision of Mickey making shapes with his own spunk was enough to bring on his own orgasm. He held Mickey by the hips and pinned him in place while he bucked up into him one last time, emptying himself with a dull roar.

“We’re so good at that.” Ian cradled Mickey by the back of his hand when he slumped forward. He pressed a tender kiss to his temple. “And I’m so fuckin thankful I’ve got you.”

“I’m in the wet spot.” Mickey whined. “We’re gonna end up stuck together.”

“Can think of worse things.”

They caught their breath and grabbed some paper towels to wipe themselves down. Ian pulled Mickey back into his arms on the couch and kissed him slowly, his tongue trailing over his full bottom lip.

“Thank you.” He murmured. “For talking to Lip. I worry about him. Tami is a nice girl but I’m not sure I see them together.”

“People used to say that about us.”

“Oh yeah? Like who?”

“Your whole family.”

Ian chuckled. “Fiona, maybe. But Lip always knew about us and kept our secret. He had our backs.”

“He did?” Mickey sounded surprised. “Well, I guess he ain’t so bad. And his kid is cute as fuck.”

“Mmhm. He is. We should get us one of those.” Ian agreed.

“Put it on your Christmas list, see what Santa Claus can do for you.”

Lip and Carl were eating breakfast in the kitchen, occasionally glancing through to the living room to make sure they weren’t talking too loud to wake the sleeping couple on the couch.

“They totally fucked on the couch, didn’t they?” Carl sighed.

Lip chuckled and sipped his coffee. “There is not a surface in this house that they haven’t done the deed on, Carl.”

“Fuckin horn dogs.”

Lip raised his coffee cup in the air. “All power to them.”


End file.
